Inkjet printers typically employ printheads having multiple nozzles which are grouped together into primitives, with each primitive typically having a same number of nozzles, such as 8 or 12 nozzles, for example. While each primitive of a group is coupled to a separate data line, all primitives of a group are coupled to a same address line, with each nozzle in a primitive being controlled by a corresponding address. The printhead successively cycles through the addresses of each nozzle in a repeating fashion such that only one nozzle is operated in each primitive at a given time.